RAIN WEEK: Lemon Drop Martini

Part 5 of 5
Following the old children's rhyme, about April showers bringing May flowers, ZONINO! presents seven of our favorite "rain-themed" things.

I remember going to my grandma's house as a kid and looking forward to, among other things, raiding her ever-present candy dish filled with delicious lemon drop candies. I imagine that is one reason why I love a good lemon drop flavored martini to this day. Grandma was never one to hit the bottle so its a little strange that sipping one of these tasty cocktails reminds me of her, but that is my Pavlovian connection!

Ingredients*:
1 1/2 oz. (good) vodka
1/2 oz. triple sec
1 tsp superfine sugar (used in drinks because it dissolves well)
3/4 oz. lemon juice (fresh is best)

*If you look online, there are many different variations. I've used this one before but you'll find others that also include orange liqueur or citrus-flavored vodkas.

What to do:
1) Fill a martini shaker half-full with ice cubes.
2) Pour all the ingredients into the martini shaker.
3) Shake until blended (the "rule" is anywhere between 35-45 shakes, depending on the bartender you ask).
4) Strain into a (sugar rimmed) glass and enjoy!

Sergio del Limonar

RAIN WEEK: Purple Rain

Part 3 of 5
Following the old children's rhyme, about April showers bringing May flowers, ZONINO! presents seven of our favorite "rain-themed" things.

Being a Minnesota girl, I have to give props to one of the first things to come to mind when I think of this drizzly theme and, in my opinion, Minnesota's finest export. Native son Prince's movie and album of the same name, Purple Rain, is ZONINO! if I've ever heard of a thing. While the story isn't ground-breaking and the acting not necessarily a challenge - its about the rise to stardom for a young black singer from Minneapolis - the direction is beautiful and is more entertaining than most music videos shot today. In the end, that is basically what this is too, an hour-long glorified music video is all its fantastic shiny Princeness!

The movie also features the Prince classics such as "Let's Get Crazy," "When Doves Cry," the title track, and others. While parts of the movie seem dated, in 1984 this concept was cutting edge, if not ahead of its time. Prince was, and still is, a visionary.

Buzzy

RAIN WEEK: Monsoon Wedding

Part 2 of 5
Following the old children's rhyme, about April showers bringing May flowers, ZONINO! presents seven of our favorite "rain-themed" things.

Family functions are always hectic times, with weddings being no exception. In the 2001 Bollywood film, Monsoon Wedding, the sentiment is taken to the extreme. An arranged marriage between Aditi, a native of New Dehli, India, and Hemant Rai, an Indian man living in Texas, along with both their far-flung relatives, as well as past relationships all add to this terrific story.

Starring the gorgeous Vasundhara Das in the lead female role, the film is a winking look at the mixing of old traditions with new modern ways. Along with a killer soundtrack and a few requisite Bollywood musical numbers, this is movie made to please. That, and endless pouring rain has never before been more attractive.

Sergio del Limónar

RAIN WEEK: "Songs About Rain"

Part 1 of 5
Following the old children's rhyme, about April showers bringing May flowers, ZONINO! presents seven of our favorite "rain-themed" things.

Back in August of 2009 we did a special on Gary Allan so it only seems appropriate that we repeat his phenomenal tear-streaked ballad, "Songs About Rain".

There are many classic tunes that could easily music contenders for the list of great rain-related music, but fortunately Allan takes care of them all for us in this one song, from his See If I Care album from 2003. The heartbroken guy in the song wants nothing more that to take his mind of his current state of emotion with a happy song or two. The radio, however, has different plans and "just keeps playing songs about rain." Conway Twitty's "Rainy Night In Georgia"*, Elvis Presley's "Kentucky Rain" and British band, The Fortunes', "Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again" are among the few that seem to haunt his radio dial.

Sergio del Limónar

*originally recorded by R&B artist Brook Benton in 1970 (thank you Wikipedia).